


12 Days of Xmas

by WavesOver



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Atem wants to do something nice for Yugi this year, Bakura and Malik are just here for the free food, Dub names used in some instances, Feli is an oblivious diaster, Gilbert is just a disater, Hetalia Countries Using Human Names, I've had this crack pairing in my head for years, Ludwig is a nervous gay, Multi, Rebecca's a bit of a stalker, all pairs listed kiss in the last chapter, because with teasing the embarassing shit happens because we LIKE the characters, bitchy ex Seto Kaiba, character teasing, even if it's been years since they've been together, he wants to win the break-up, kind of creepy but she really doesn't know any better, like so past neither of them want to remember it, many many characters - Freeform, many many fandoms, many people get invited to a christmas party, oblivious Alfred, past Yugi/Alfred, past prideship, set in east coast USA, shenanigans all the shenanigans, silly christmas story, so you should suffer with me, some just plain crash it, twelve days of christmas inspired, which is different from bashing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:00:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28308654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WavesOver/pseuds/WavesOver
Summary: Atem just wanted to give his husband a nice party with friends and family… not invite the whole neighborhood.From Preacher AU.
Relationships: Aino Minako/Mazaki Anzu | Tea Gardner, Atem/Mutou Yuugi, Chiba Mamoru/Tsukino Usagi, Daidouji Tomoyo/Mana (Yu-Gi-Oh), Fay D. Fluorite/Kurogane, Germany/North Italy (Hetalia), Honda Hiroto | Tristan Taylor/Kaiba Seto, Kino Makoto/Mizuno Ami, Kinomoto Sakura/Li Syaoran, Yami Bakura/Marik Ishtar
Kudos: 7





	1. A Secret Christmas Party

The door swung open, with Yugi staggering in, dazed as he sways side to side, his eyes half lid as he plops onto the couch, face down as he starts drifting off to sleep.

“Yugi,” he asked his husband (god, he still feels giddy about calling him his husband), “I know you’re tired, but you won’t be doing yourself any favors by sleeping on the couch.”

He says something, which, considering his position, was less words and more mumbling that the couch eats in its constant desire to muffle all sound in the world.

He debates whether he should just call it a loss and just take him to their bedroom, (He may have stopped spinning on the poles, but that doesn’t mean that he let himself go all that much) when Yugi turns his head to the side.

“It’ll be better than having the choir director make us practice _again_ ,” he said, his exhaustion obvious.

he nodded, because he knows quite well how scary she is when she wants wow the audience, and Christmas is one of the few times that people actually _come_ which egged on her perfectionist tendencies.

“Well, since you’re so out of it, I’ll take you upstairs, if that’s alright with you.”

Yugi nodded, not even moving as he lifts him up from the couch. (Hey, just because he’s not showing off for a living doesn’t mean that he’s not keeping up with his strength training.)

“OK, baby?” He teased, only to find that Yugi indeed was half-asleep in his arms like a baby, his eyes shut as he takes slow, even breaths.

He moves up the stairs, taking his time as they go up to their bedroom, a small cozy shield form the world that’s has life and love in every corner.

He slipped Yugi out of his pastor clothes, handing his shirt and putting his collar in the knick-knack bowl, and putting him in his favorite pajamas, the star ones he’s had since his high school years.

he then threw on his own, gave a quick brush, before going to his side, ready to tuck him in when he hears it.

“I just want a nice, relaxing Christmas for once,” he whispered unconsciously, not even knowing that he said it out loud.

He was struck by that, and reflecting back, he probably was talking more about the fact he and all his friends are so busy during this time of year, none of them even meeting until at least January 4th or so to exchange gifts and such, getting their house ready for guests and food ready and all that that they just can’t do due to obligations.

Well, not this year.

This year they’re going to have the best Christmas party ever… on Boxing Day, because Yugi need a day of rest to recover enough from Christmas Eve to get their freak on for the party of the year.


	2. Two Stripping Blonds

“Fai, Fai, look,” Chi shouts, waving some kind of invitation. Either that or the landlord’s get creative in his notices.

He looks up from the couch, his legs up after a long night shaking his ass for his adoring public.

“Chi, would you be a dear and read it? It seems like my eyes aren’t working right now.”

She bobs her head, making her boob bounce. She then goes over each word, taking care to enunciate each word, a trait that had made many a man be charmed by her… and made keeping her save from _more_ unsavory a chore… but being her psudo-brother brings back memories of happier times… but let’s not think about that.

“Faiiiiii,” Chi stressed, “It’s a partyyyyyy! Temmie invited us to a partyyyy!”

She threw her hands up, a smile on her face as she jumps up and down, a cheerful display that will no doubt bother the neighbor’s downstairs.

He gives a chuckle, “Well that’s funny, having a pair of strippers at a pastor’s party.”

“But Faiiii, Temmy use to work with us, and Saku-chan _did_ have us over to her wedding,” Chi pointed out, being annoyingly perceptive, “And you know _nothing_ was happening in 202-“

“Yes, yes,” he said, remembering the apology Atem gave, because he was brat, but not a malicious one. And frankly, he was glad for OnlyFan for keeping him and Chi afloat that year.

“So can we go Fai?” she asked, and he’d think that Chi was trying to manipulate him with those big eyes if it wasn’t for their years together.

“Sure,” he answered, patting her head as he looks at the date, ready for a fight with the crankier of the two owners to get them the night off


	3. Three Drag Queens

When Joey got the letter, he was excited.

A party! That he doesn’t have to plan for, get grub, find a time and place and all that crap! Fuck yeah!

He does a happy dance as he goes into the club, throwing the letter on the make-up table as he gets ready, working with the other girls there as he transforms into Marilyn, shading her beardline in her signature genderqueer style before killing it out with the girls, doing some fun numbers and giving out some Christmas cheer to the queers who came to their show.

It was fun, exciting, and everything that drew him into the drag scene to begin with.

Of course, Mama Ginryu found the letter.

“So, it seems like _you_ got a fun night planned,” she said, giving a sharp smile as she flips the invitations between her fingers.

... Shit.

“Welll, it’s just a little get together. Between friends, ya know?” she tries to explain, not wanting to be punished by Mama.

“Right… like the time you and the other bitches came to _my_ dinner with the folks, done up and pretending to be my _girlfriends_?” she said, deceptively sweet as her smile grew sharper.

“Wait, you did that?” Le Flame shouts, the newest member of their troupe, shouts in surprise.

“Yes, they _did_. And because they decided to _do_ that, I think I should visit. As family, of course.”

She then turned, her already intimidating height increased by her heels, both terrifying and beautiful, just the way she likes it.

“So, Joe, room for two more?”

“Two?” he asked.

“Two. After all, Rin’s still new to the city, you know?”

“Really?” Le Flame squeaked, her tail shaking behind her as she looked at him with doe eyes.

… Shit, talk about not playin’ fair.

“Sure, kid,” she says as she unpacked, turning back to Joey in the wee hours of the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own drag queen Kurogane. That honor belongs to [this fic.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22678966)


	4. Four Cranky Cousins

He stares at the letter in front of him, a letter from Atem. The same Atem he abandoned because he was too narrowed-minded, too stupid, too…

He still doesn’t understand how he just accepted him into his life, after all the harsh words and how he did nothing when he needed it.

He didn’t even understand. Not before…

He looks at the estrogen pills on the side table, hearing the shower running as Kisara washes off the day’s stresses away.

He knows that he has to do.

He calls, telling him he’s coming before hanging up, not letting the time with his cousin be tainted by the past.

****

Tristan was checking the engine of the 250cc Falcon Motorcycle, making sure everything was in working order, when Madison came in, waving around the invite Atem sent him.

“Tristan Taylor, when did you get this invitation and why didn’t you tell me?” she shouted, showing the stone-cold core that had her hiding her sexuality from their homophobic grandparents to get the company for being the ‘ideal’ candidate, instead of the sugar-sweet face she gives everyone else.

“First off, stop going through my mail, and second off, why do you need to know? You’re not going?”

She puffs her cheeks like a chipmunk, “Well how else am I supposed to get the perfect outfit for you? And in any case, your friends are going to need some costumes for their performances?”

He sighed, “Maddie, it’s just a small group of friends. Nothing more, nothing less. And _just_ because Anzu and Joey perform for a living

His phone rings.

He glares at the text, where both Anzu and _Joey_ ask for his annoying cousin to be there to make some costumes for them.

He then moves from the text to the obnoxiously grinning girl in front of him, like a cat when she knows she getting her way.

“I hate you.”

“Love you too, cous.”

****

Rei glares at the letter, trying to will the cheery invitation to burn in her roommate’s hand as she read the address.

“Reiiiii? Who’s Yugi?”

She took a deep breath, holding it for a few moments, before breathing out, the air hissing through her clenched teeth.

“He’s my cousin.”

“A cousin,” Serena screeched, “How come you didn’t tell me you had a cousin? And so close, too.”

“We don’t get along.”

“Really? Why don’t you get along?” Serena asks.

Rei glares at her, a picture of her time as a shrine maiden behind her.

“Guess.”

Serena, the dumbass, looked at her in confusion before tearing open the letter, even though it was _her_ letter.

“Oh my gosh, it’s Temie”” she shouts, as if that has any meaning to her, “He’s getting a surprise Christmas party ready for Yugi, and he’s inviting you over. Oh my gosh, we should sooo go.”

“Well, I don’t see why I should… and who’s Temie?”

“Oh,” she said, “He’s someone I use to work with. You know, before the office job.”

“And that’s…”

“Oh, it’s a strip club,” she said cheerfully.

“…The fuck were you doing working in a strip club?”

“Well, it’s a job… Actually, I wasn’t that good at dancing so I was more of a waitress… But Temie was super good! Like, he was able swing round and round the pole with his legs and he was even able to go upside-down while really high up,” Serena said, gushing over the athletic Temie.

“What kind of strip club is that?”

“The kind with guys and girls on stage.”

She pouted, pissed and confused about the fact before the fact her _cousin_ is… something with a stripper.

“You know,” She said, a wicked smirk on her face, “I think I _will_ go.”

“Yaaaayy!”


	5. Five Martial Artists

He moves into first position, seeing from the corner of his eyes that the rest of the group is also in the same position, listening on as the instruction goes through the motions. They follow through, all of them already an expert in one style and making good headway into this new style that they are learning. It was a calming, centering part of his day, away from the stress and demands of the outside world when he moves his body, letting his energy flow through him as he relaxes his mind, going through the motions with others as they find a unity between body and mind, if only for a moment.

But like all good things, it was over far too so, and the teacher left to teach his next class, leaving his students time to clean up and leave this calming bubble.

“So, you got any plans?” Kyo, his class buddy and the only other guy in the early morning class, asks.

“Yeah, I’m going to a party that an old work friend of Sakura’s planning on the 26th,” he said with a smile.

“Wait, are you talking about her _current_ job or her _before_ job?” Meiling, his more _prickly_ cousin, asks, still a bit judgy after learning about Sakura’s previous job.

“Her _before_ job. And it’s not like you hadn’t met him. He was the guy that was watching Fuutie’s son while the service was happening.”

“Wait, what do you mean “ _before_ job”? Is it some kind of secret?” Mako asks, confused by the exchange.

“No, not really,” Vivian, his other cousin, adds in, wiping the sweat of her brow, “Meiling’s just being a prune because Sakura use to be a stripper and somehow thinks she “not good enough” for Li.”

“That’s not it,” she shouts, her face red, “I just don’t see why she still associated with those people.”

“Like I said, judgy.”

“Why you-“

“So, you’re going to a party? Where the host use to be a stripper? And your wife was one too?” Kyo asked, concern in his eyes.

“Yeah, she doesn’t see anything wrong with it. I mean, she doesn’t tell _everyone_ but she doesn’t lie if you ask,” he explain, not wanting to tell him he used to go to the same club once upon a time.

“… Is it that weird one on 5th avenue where there are both male and female strippers?” he asks.

He nods, “Yeah, it seems like the club just has a good work comradery overall, it’s actually kind of amazing.”

He takes in the unconvinced look.

“Look, if you want, you and Tohru can come over, see there’s nothing to worry about, and have a good time too. What do you say?”

“Wait, you are _not_ going to that party without me, Li Syaoran!” Meiling hisses.

“Oh, can I go to?” Vivian askes with a bounce in her step.

“… Ummm, is it alright if I go to?” Mako asks shyly, which is quite unusual for the Amazonian woman she is.

Kyo looks around nervously, intimidated by all the attention he’s getting as the rest of the class’s eyes turn to him. His eye twitches as he tries to find an escape, only to find none.

“S-ssure, why not?” he said in defeat as the rest of them cheer, walking out into the blistering winds with a cheer in their collective step.


	6. Six Cases of Wine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, sorry this is a day late, just couldn't find the words for some reason. Hope you enjoy.

He stared at the letter, turned it around, envelope and did indeed see his name there, before turning back to the letter.

What the hell was that dummkopf thinking inviting _him_?

He’s not close with the pastor (despite grandma’s many attempts), he’s not close with his husband. Hell, he’s not ever sure if he knows anyone there outside of his family.

But he did indeed get an invitation to a Christmas party that the more… risqué of the two was planning for the pastor. (He… might have visited the club that the man once danced at… more than once…)

But then again, it’s not like they haven’t tried to bring him into things, trying to be friendly with someone lik-

“Helllo!”

“Scheiß” he shouts, almost dropping the letter. He turned around furiously, ready to tear into them, but was struck by who was behind him

“What you got there?” Feli (he insists on the stupid nickname) asks, looking at the invitation he got, look so stylish despite his relaxed attire.

“Ahh, nothing, just… just an invitation,” he somehow managed to say. It’s not fair that he’s so attractive and so _close_.

“Really, West?” his brother shouted as he snatches the letter from his hand, “I never thought that you were _cool_ enough to know anyone.”

“Hiii Gilly,” Feli said as he waved, Gilbert glaring at him for the nickname.

“What are you doing calling me such an unawesome name, stupid?”

“Apologize,” he hissed on reflex, because most of the time he has to get his irresponsible older brother to apologize for the stupid thing he did. And making Feliciano Vargas almost cry was high on the list of stupid things to do.

“Gah, why are you always like this, West?” he shouts before muttering a half-ass apology to Feli.

“And was are you doing, crowding the hall?” Roderich, his cousin on his mother’s side, asked, his fiancé by his side.

“Oh, nothing, it’s just that West here got invited to this awesome party,” his idiot brother exclaimed, snatching the invitation from his grasp to show the two.

“… Isn’t this from the pastor at your church?” he stated.

“Nein, it’s from his husband,” he said before he could think, with Elizabeta’s eyes gleaming that particular light that makes him want to go back into the closet.

“ _Oh_ , that’s interesting,” she says, her mouth turned upwards in a perverted deviation of a grin as she comes closer.

“Yeah, and it says that you can bring _anyone_ you want, so we can all go,” Feli shouts like the ~~adorable~~ idiot he is.

“Well in that case we should bring something,” Roderich adds, adding more chaos into his life, “I’ll bring some wine. Some good _Austrian_ wine.”

They then walked off, back to their apartment.

“Feh, of course you’d do that. In that case, I will bring the most awesome _German beer!”_ his idiot brother shouts before leaving as well, stomping off to get the alcohol ahead of time.

“Really? In that case, I’ll bring some wine as well, and _pasta!_ ” Feli cheers, being… him before giving him a kiss on the cheek and saying goodbye, wishing him a Merry Christmas and how he’s excited about the party, closing the door with a slam.

His hand goes to his cheek, his face warm as he tries to comprehend just what the hell happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you’re confused:
> 
> Ludwig-Germany
> 
> Feliciano Vargas - North Italy
> 
> Lovino Vargas - South Italy
> 
> Roderich Edelstein- Austria
> 
> Gilbert Beilschmidt- Prussia
> 
> Elizabeta Héderváry- Hungary


	7. Seven Burlesque Dancers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To make up for the one I missed, I'm posting two today.

The lights die down as their show ends, the audience applause ringing through the hall as she goes to the back, a smile on her face.

The dressing room was full of women getting out of their work costumes, with some behind a screen for their own comfort, but them all chatting all the same.

Perfect.

“Alright ladies, anyone free for the 26th?” she shouts, bringing all eyes on her.

“Well I’m free, hun, but what exactly are we free _for?”_

“A Christmas party,” she stated bringing out the invitation for all the girls to see.

“Wow, that sounds like fun! I want to go,” Riho, the youngest of the troop, pleads with Miho and Mana shouting their own yes’s.

“Count me in too. I’ll be the elephant of the ball,” Mina shouts, posing dramatically like the diva she is.

“That’s belle, you nitwit,” Amber shouts before apologizing, she’s going home for the holidays and she knows that her parent will try to set her up with a ”good Christian boy” like they do every year, despite the fact she’s asexual and has told them a thousand times.

Others chimed in that their going back home as well, both bio and found, with two hoping to hear a certain something from their significant others.

“Anyone else?” She gave as a last call, only for Stille to grab her attention and sign that she’s wishes to go as well.

She nods, signing back before getting together with her group, picking out a time and place to meet before going over, the Christmas cheer all around at the cheerful atmosphere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stille- silent in Swahili


	8. Eight Dancing Santa's

Yugi rubs his eyes, trying to recover from the late-night video game session Atem insisted he take, using the pixelated people he pulverized as an outlet for the real-life annoyances that he has, _especially_ Mrs. Hawkins. He looks around, not use to waking up alone after a year married to the most wonderful, dramatic man he had ever met.

He finds a dancing Santa, one of the novelty ones that Dad use to send him from America when he was a little kid.

It was holding a piece of paper with an arrow on it as it moves from side to side, moving to the rhythm of the cheesy song it plays.

He takes the paper, only to find a note to get dressed on the other side.

He does so before leaving, finding another dancing Santa with the pointer pointing down.

He moves down the stairs, getting more and more excited about what exactly all of this means.

The Santa on the ground level was pointing right, to the kitchen, where he found a light breakfast, not an unwelcomed surprise but also not what he expects from the man who tends to be a bit… extra in meal prep.

He went back to the Santa, and indeed, the breakfast was for him… well, more of a late lunch, but still.

He went back and chowed down, savoring the simple meal after everything that has happened.

“Gah!” he yelled as he found _another_ Santa right there, cleverly hidden where he could be seen when he entered, the sign confusingly pointing back towards him.

He walked over and grabbed the note, to see that Atem meant for him to brush his teeth in the main level bathroom. And indeed, there was a toothbrush with toothpaste in the main level bathroom.

He did as asked, curiouser and curiouser as to what his husband is planning.

He followed more Santas to the outside of the house, around to the side entrance, and then finally in, with the latest grooving Saint Nick pointing straight to the main hall, where all the special events for the church were held.

He moved slowly, unsure but excited all the same, as he knocks on the closed door, bracing for what will happen.

The door flew open as the crowd shouts surprise, his closest friends need the door with Atem in the middle, a Santa hat on that clashes with his long, flowing coat that was so ubiquitous with the man, he has a hard time thinking of the man without it.

Well then, there’s only one thing to do.

He ran into his husband’s arms, their lips clashing with each other as cheers happened all around.

“Merry Christmas, Aibou,” he whispered, his face flush at all the attention.

“ _hehehe_ Merry Christmas, Other Me,” he replied as he brought the man in for another kiss.


	9. Nine Party Crashers

He glares at the building, his eyes darting to his phone, where a picture of the “happy couple” in the cheesy Christmas attire kiss with a dumb caption from the bond that’s somehow friends with him. (No, it’s _not_ stalking. He just wants to make sure Atem is miserable without him. And it’s not _his_ fault that the dumb blond didn’t turn off location when she posted the stupid thing.)

“Are you done here?” his current partner moans, a feminine red-head he’s been dating for three weeks named either Alister or Amelda, his two dumb friends glaring behind him.

He glared back, thinking that maybe he should just let him leave… if it wasn’t for the fact that Mokuba’s in the car too, looking as bored at the rest of the car’s occupants.

He was tempted to leave, go to the latest club with his hottie and his ghoul crew, when he saw two blonds, both with glasses, one a teenage girl-brat with a practical jacket, scarf and earmuffs keeping her warm, while the other was a muscular man who was shivering, wearing a fall jacket in 30-degree weather, doing a dance as he knocked on the side-house of the place.

“What are you doing?” he asks

“Trying to get Yugi,” Baby-brat says, giving the taller a side-eye when he bobs to her reply.

“Yeah, dude, I need to say a few things, cause we kind of broke up over something stupid, and, ya know, just wanna clear the air, bro.”

He stared, confused, before _delightful_ idea came to him.

“I’m sorry, he’s not there. In fact,” he says as he points to the bigger building behind them, “He’s in there, having a party. I’m sure he can fit in a few _more_ people.”

They all went in, going to check the door.

It’s locked. Of course it is. That _fucking_ -

The baby brat fished through her purse, getting out a key as she works it into the hole.

“Umm, how did you get that?” another blond says, his white-haired friend beside him.

The hell did they-

Nevermind. It’s not _his_ problem.

“My mom’s on the counsel. It was easy to get,” she whispers as she opens the door, getting them in as he smirks, ready to ruin Atem’s evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you're confused:
> 
> Alfred F. Jones (aka muscle blond w/ glasses)-America


	10. Ten Main Courses

As the party went on, with many more guests then expected, there was worry that there wouldn’t be enough food.

A fear unfounded, for there was more then enough for everyone there, with options from succulent roast beef and ham, to delectable cakes with scrumptious cookies and everything in between. Especially since more than a few guests brought their own contributions to the feast. Especially the more… unique options.

*****

“Burgers? Really? What does that have anything to do with Christmas?” Seto sneered as he examined the small slider, judging it for the nuisance it is.

Ignoring the glee in his fellow crasher at the sight of the burgers, who put at least three into his mouth before his eyes widened.

“Duuuuude, it’s, like, the perfect Christmas burger,” he exclaimed with wonder in his voice.

“… What are you talking about?” Rebecca asked, picking up a burger for herself.

“Dude, it has, like, turkey meat instead of regular meat, with a layer of cranberry sauce, some crunchy onions, and some melty, mouth-watering cheese that kicks ass, bro. And it’s like, tiny so you can have a shit ton and have room for regular turkey and other shit, yo.”

*****

Malik gave a side-eye to the random ass dish in front of him, hating the sight of it.

“Whyyyy is there fired chicken at a Christmas party?” he asked, his own plate full of tofu, green beans, and falafel.

“It’s _Christmas chicken_ ,” the black-haired girl said with a glare, an unspoken idiot in the air.

“The fuc-“ he started before he was interrupted.

“It’s a tradition in Japan, where KFC used clever advertising to establish itself as a Christmas tradition for the holidays,” explained a blue-haired girl behind him.

“Gah!”

“I’m sorry. I’m Amy Mizuno, a partner of Ryou’s at our clinic. And you are,” she said, a bit flustered.

Shit, did she expect him to…

“Rei Hino, Yugi’s cousin,” raven-head said, saving him from the awkward situation, where he went back to his table, only to see Bakura’s plate piled high with meat. He glared at the offending flesh pile before going for his own food.

*****

He looks down, curious about why the heck there was _pasta_ next to the glorious, fatty sausages that called to him from across the room. _Vegetarian_ pasta at that.

He poked at it, glaring at the offending pile, the piles of dough swirling in the vegetarian broth (as stated by the _cheery_ sign), questioning just what kind of idiot would bring something like _this_ to a party.

“You like it?”

He turns form the offending dish to see a stupid smile on a stupid man, his hair an auburn shade as he kept his stupid smile up.

“It’s Tortellini en Brodo. I knew that Ludwig was some sausage, so I figured I’d bring some pasta.”

Greaaaat, he’s Italian….

“Even if it is icky.”

He throws his hands on the dumbass brunet and was only stopped by a muscular blond with a serious case of resting bitch face.

*****

Joey and Tristan look down at the suspicious item on the table, poking it with a fork.

“Da heck’s dis?’

“Oh, it’s lutefisk,” the cheery blond behind them said. They screamed. ( **not** shrieked. _Definitely_ not shrieked.)

“It’s fish that’s been marinating in lard. It’s a delicacy from Sweden,” he continued, smiling like he’s in on the biggest joke.

They looked at each other, suspicious of the smiling blond.

“Are… you making this up?” Tristan finally asked

“Well, you can try some… unless you’re too scared.”

They were caught between a rock and a hard place, between eating the jiggling jelly “fish” and _admitting_ that they won’t eat the disturbing foods.

“We’re- we’re not cowards, right Joe?”

“Y-Yah, Tris. We- we ain’t scared…”

They turn slowly, hoping to prolong the inevitable fate of them forcing the repulsive dish pass their lips…

Only to see that it was taken by another blond, a preppy girl with two buns on top of her pigtails, who slathered it with some white gravy, their eyes wide as she walks back to her table.

They both sighed, glad that they don’t have to actually _eat_ it.

“Oh that’s too bad. How ‘bout I send you a personal sample?” the smiling blond said, their spines shivering at the prospect.

They left, dejected, not even going for the _better_ food there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you’re wondering about the dishes, they are: Ham, Turkey, Felafels, Tofu, Christmas Dinner Sliders, Christmas Chicken (all Atem), Pasta (Feli), Sausage (Ludwig, to go with the wine and beers he already brought), Roast beef (Ryou), and Lutefisk (because Fai wants to see people squirm as much as he did when he was young).


	11. Eleven Awkward Moments

‘Oh my god, he’s perrrfect’ she thought as she looked at the man in front of her.

A soft, sweet smile on his lips as he chatted with his friends, a warm, welcoming presence in this often-cruel world.

She’s known for a while that she’s bi, and more importantly, that she’s just a sucker for sweet guys. Not nice guy, or at least not guys who _say_ their nice. Sweet, small guys who’d give you the jacket of their back in a rainy day. the kind who’d give you half their desert if you’d ask.

And he fits all her criteria.

“Soooo, sexy? What’s a guy like _you_ doin’ in a place like this?” she said with a confident swagger. Or maybe she was just swaying? Who knowssss.

“Ummm.”

“Oh, here’s an idea. How about after the party, you can swing my place and go up _my_ chimney? Wha’d ya say?”

She looked down, for sure that she managed to wiggle her way into his heart.

“Miss Wong… As much as I appreciated your… passion, I’m married. And you know this. You did this at the reception too,” said Yugi, who was smiling back awkwardly back at her, his smile tight on his lips.

“…. Oh.”

She went back to her drink, her face red in embarrassment of the _stupid_ thing she just did.

“Soooo, you want to see my awesome sel-“ some creep started.

She decked him straight in the face before he finished.

******

She scanned the hall, trying to find the man of the hour, when she spotted him in the corner, giving directions to his loud, blond friend. (Why _are_ there so many blonds here?)

She marched forward, set on her mission.

She waited until blond guy was away, then dragged Yugi away to a secluded corner. (Hey, just because she’s going to reveal his… whoever’s secret job doesn’t mean that she wants to reveal it to _everyone._ )

“Rei? What a surprise! How did you get here?” he asked in that cheery way, like when they were kids and he asked to get his ball back from some older kids. (They usually threw the ball. Hard. In his face. And she usually had to hit them back for being such jerks.)

“My roommate. Anywayyyyy, about that guy you’re with… did you know what he did? As a job?”

He stared at her, confused.

“Whaaat are you talking about?”

“I’m saying he used to strip. For a living. And my roommate used to work with him,” she stated, getting it out in the open.

His face stretched out into a grin. A fake grin. The kind of grin he had whenever an auntie insulted him to his face.

“Oh do you mean my husband? The husband I’ve known for several years? The husband who _never hid_ his old job from me? That husband?”

Shit. She... she didn’t even think that-

“ _Was_? I didn’t know _that_? That sounds awesome,” Gilbert said, one of his eyes covered in a make-shift ice pack.

He turned from her to give the albino a suspicious look.

“Whyyy is that awesome?” he said with a bad feeling in his gut.

“Well, duh. You can go into a room, take off your cloths, and people **pay** you for it. It’s like the perfect job.”

Both Rei and Yugi leave, not wanting to be around the crazy man.

*****

“So, how have things been with you, playing the preacher’s wife in this relic from the past?” he snipped trying to make Atem feel bad, not having money like his at his disposal.

He ignored him, talking to the retarded blond with brown eyes. (As oppose to the retarded blond with _blue_ eyes that’s devouring most of the buffet.)

His eyes twitched, not used to being ignored. ( _especially_ by hot people.)

He was walking away, his stupid long coat he wears everywhere swaying behind him.

“Hey! I was talking to you,” he said, reaching out to grab him.

“And _I_ was trying to ignore you. Like a fucking adult. And yet you’re still pulling this weird, teen-aged bullshit like me being happy with my life is somehow going to affect you in any way, shape, and form. So why don’t you just… **leave,** ” he said as pushed his hand away, dismissing him out-right.

He should have taken that exit. He should have taken Mokuba and left. He should have done many things more productive then yelling at his ex in a room with no one who’d give a fuck about him.

He didn’t.

“Oh, pleaseee, your husband is not even half the catch I am,” he shot, wanting to put in one last wound before he left.

“Catch? _Catch_! Well, let me tell you just what a _catch_ you are,” Atem screams in his face, his eyes burning with rage as he glared, making him feel small despite everything.

And as Atem continues, dressing down Seto and all his flaws, all his insecurities, all the messed-up shit he pulled in their relationship, Seth’s eyes widen as he takes in the similarities between Atem’s ex and himself.

He walks over to the alcohol table and drinks straight from the rum, trying to erase such information from his brain.

******

He was looking through the synagogue. Chaple. Big room where all the “good little sheep” go to flock every Sunday to sing and chat and try to convince themselves they are good people who wouldn’t fuck over anyone who disagreed with them about their sky god. Looking for cash (not that he’d expect much), gold (possible), or some good booze to sell (and hell, if it isn’t the drunks wouldn’t care as long as it gives them a buzz).

“What are you doing?”

“AHHHHHH!”

He turned, seeing the tall guy with short black hair, red eyes looking like he was up to some shit.

“No _thing_ , just looking around, taking in the whole… place when it’s dark, you know?” he lied, gesturing to the rest of the room. Which was actually cool, like a horror scene before something horrible happens.

“ _Tch_ , yeah right. If it wasn’t for your shitty ass timing, I’d take out your shady ass. I’ll just leave you to your… brother there.

Brother? he didn’t have a-

“Hello _Florence,”_ a cheery voice said behind him.

Shit.

He slowly turns around, heart racing as he saw his cousin Ryou behind him.

“Hiiiii Ryou,” he awkwardly said as he did the most wooden wave ever.

“Why cousin, it’s so nice to see you. Now _why are you here, with so many things that aren’t you?”_ he hissed.

Is it too late to deal with the ninja?

******

He was trying to get a drink, generally glad with how things have been going, _despite_ Rei’s rude-ass comment.

“Yo.”

Annnd he spoke too soon.

“Heyyy, Alfred,” he greeted, teeth clenched as he smiled as his ex, “What _are_ you doing **here**?”

“Dude, great question” he said in that oblivious way that tells him he didn’t catch how much he _doesn’t_ want him here, “You see, I came here, to, ya know, patch things up. Not in like a, get together way, ‘cause I can see that you’ve got something going on with the coat guy. Just… I don’t want any bad blood between us, ya dig?” Alfred explained, using fifty different types of slang like he usually does, “Oh, and me and a few other dudes got in because of this glasses chick whose mom is, like, the PTA of the church.”

Things were quiet between the two of them. Too quiet for _his_ tastes.

“Soooo, what’d ya want?” the idiot said, trying to break the tension.

“I want you to leave,” he stated, still grinning, still pissed even after all these years.

“Oh come oooooooon, what’s the big deal?” Alfred asked, the epidemy of a dumb blond.

“The _big deal_ was that you were going to space! Without telling me! I had to learn from a fucking broadcast before my fucking boyfriend,” Yugi hissed through gritted teeth.

Several people facepalmed as Yugi tore him a new one, though it could very well be the case that he _still_ didn’t get a single word through his head.

******

He doesn’t know what the hell’s going on.

When he first got there with Syaoran, he was actually thinking that this was a typical, if slightly bombastic affair, with tons of food (with Tohru adding some Christmas Cake, because she’s sweet like that) and Christmas decorations all over the place. Yeah, there was arguing, but it’s not like his family’s the picture of normal.

And then the performances began.

It started with the brunette friend of the party host, a leggy girl with short hair, who brough out a set of chimes and pans along with a table and chair, who went to the speaker that was playing Christmas music and unplugging it, cutting of the song about a Christmas donkey before putting her own song in.

It was her, jumping around, hitting the chimes and pans at random, the words “today for you, tomorrow for me” blasting on repeat, as she acted like this somehow made any sense at all. And how in the hell does _any_ of this relate to Christmas?

He stared in muted horror as she kept moving, jumping and wiggling and shaking her ass and ending it all in a split, the rest of the room clapping.

All except him. Who gets jack shit of this.

“Ha, dat ain’t shit, doin’ somethin’ so typical,” the blond with an accent said ( _Typical? In what world is_ that _typical?_ Kyo though from his seat, with a wide-eyed Tohru beside him) as he/she? comes out from side hall, her face done up with a five-o’clock shadow that she didn’t have earlier, two others behind her behind her, a tall woman with long black hair and a short half-demon with puffy pigtail to go with her fluffy tail, all three looking like Victorian carolers, complete with smudges of ‘dirt’ on their faces.

“Oh really?” Anzu ( _at least he thinks that’s her name)_ shot back, moving her legs in front of her as she glares at the blond, “And what are _you_ going to do?”

“Easy,” she said, moving to the player and putting in her _own_ song, “dis.”

They all went into position, bouncing to the beat as they moved through their routine, with some old guy singing about Soul Cakes ( _the hell are those?_ ), moving fluidly as they danced through the number, earning applause from everyone when they’re done.

And here he was, confused by everything that just happened.

He wanted to leave. He wanted to leave and go home and go through the stances because _they_ make sense and he doesn-

“This is so much fun,” Tohru whispered, bringing him out of his thoughts.

He looks down as he sees just how _happy_ she is and relaxes, knowing that tonight wasn’t _that_ bad.

(He still not going to get what the _hell_ was up with that shit.)

******

She saw him in a hallway, all alone, slumped down as if he was dealing with something stressful.

“Pastor Mouto?” she asked, both to comfort him and to let him know she’s here.

“Rebecca, what are you- _sigh_ I’ve should’ve known,” he says as he gets up, looking up at her (she had a growth spurt that put her _miles_ above the midget jerk that tricked Yugi.)

“Rebecca,” He asked in that disappointed tone, “does your mother know you’re here?”

“No, and she doesn’t need to.”

“Becky,” he started, using that nickname she use to use when she was, like, fourteen. Before college. But she interrupted him.

“I love you. I’ve loved you for years,” she said, glad to get her feelings off her chest.

He stared up at her, a sad look in his eyes.

“Rebecca…. I… I can’t accept. For both of us.”

Her eyes started to burn, her heart breaking piece by piece with his rejection.

“Bu-but _why?_ I love you. And you’re so great. And-“

“Listen,” he interrupted, calmly, as if he’s always known what he’d going to say, “I know you _think_ you love me, and perhaps in some way you do, but I don’t think you _love_ me the way you do.”

He sighed.

“You trust me. And I appreciate that trust. And it’s _because_ you trust me that this isn’t going any further.”

“But there are _plenty_ of girls who sleep with guys your age. Even guys older than that,” she argued.

“And those men are horrible, using someone so young like that. And you deserve someone amazing… but I can’t be that guy. _Especially_ since I’m married, with a loving husband, who arranged a whole party behind my back so me and my friends can have a good time together.”

He stared to leave, giving her space as she dealt her heart-break, before he stopped.

“Do you want me to call your grandpa?” he asked softly, still caring about her even after those words he said.

She shook her head, just wanting some time alone.

“Alright… stay safe,” he said as he left, her tears flowing as he did so.

******

He was standing around, feeling out of place here, a place of joy and good tidings.

And he was standing here, invited by a colleague as a pity move because he just moved here from Japan.

Well, he had a few semesters at Harvard, but counting collage didn’t seem fair, far away from the regular hustle and bustle of actually _living_ here.

And like in most places, he felt out of it. like the third wheel in a date he didn’t know about. Or a stranger who was brought to a party by an enthusiastic guest… which is pretty much what happened to him now that he thought about it.

He stared on, seeing friends both old and new speak with each other with such ease, heck he even saw Amy lock lips with a tall brunette like it’s no big deal. It was… strange. In a good way. And enviable at the same time.

He… he didn’t know _what_ to think.

And then he was covered in food.

Specifically food from the lady that just crashed right into him.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” the blond started, trying to wipe icing off his shirt, before he recognized her.

Or more importantly, recognized her distinctive hairstyle.

“Bumping into me again, Dumpling Head,” he teased, something he can only do with her, even when they just met and he was only in the country for a week.

“What- Oh… it’s you,” she hissed, and he can’t help but savor her ire.

“Yeah, what can I say? I have the best sort of friends.”

Well, colleagues, but she doesn’t need to know _that_.

He huffed, her cheek puffing up like a hamster, marching away like a kid.

He looked down at his messed-up shirt.

 _Well, at least I can do this,_ he though as he went into the bathroom.

******

He glared at the idiot in front of him, the idiot that _said_ he was going to take him to an exclusive club that he’s been wanting to go to for weeks, but then brings him to this personal party. That none of them were invited to. Because he wanted to get back at his ex for some dumb reason. (Fuck, is he really _that_ petty?)

They were only fucking luck that there was a shit ton of food and plenty of other people at this shindig.

But there’s only so much he can take and frankly he’s done with it.

“Hey!”

“What Amedle?“ his dumb ass says, not even saying his name correctly.

“I’m leaving. With my friends. And you can do whatever the _fuck_ you want, but you’re doing it on your own.”

“What!” he shouts, baffled, “Are _you_ breaking up with _me_ , Amanda? _Me_! Seto _fucking_ Kaiba!”

“Alis- you know, forget it. Go have your fucking pity party, because we’re through. Done. Finish,” he said before he left, saving Raphael from an enthusiastic purple-haired girl and saving a shy blue-haired girl from Valon, all three going into the night better than when they came.

Good _fucking_ riddance.

******

“West,” his idiot brother shouted, still holding the icepack he made earlier to his eye, “Did you know that Herr Tem was once a stripper?”

He sighed.

“Ja, I know,” he stated, not wanting him to _know_ how he knows.

“How come no one _told_ me? That’s, like, the most awesome thing. And he hides it under knitting circles and baking shit.”

“What are you talkin’ about?” Feli asked, being annoyingly endearing as only he can.

“We were just talking about how- _mmhfhff,”_ the idiot started, before he muffled him, keeping him from revealing such things to his… to Feli.

“oh, are you talkin’ about when Temmie was working for our club,” he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“…What?”

“Wellll,” he said, swaying from side-to-side like he was drunk (which he possibly was), ”my brother and I own this night club, which we got from Grandpa Rome when he passed on, where people do pretty dances with poles while taking their clothes off. And we made it a play where people of _all_ tastes could come and drink and see naked people. And everyone’s so nice, so we try make everything nice, because it feels good to be good, you know what I’m saying?”

“Wait, _WAS?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So _this_ is a busy chapter, complete with _allllll_ the yelling. and other things. like awkward family reunions and unpleasant discoveries. ~~Atem swears he never noticed the similarities between Seth and Seto and has a bing-fest of his own once he sees the resemblance.~~
> 
> To summarize the ex situation:
> 
> Seto: (to Yugi) You’ll never be with some half as unique as _ME!_
> 
> Alfred: Yo, just back from outer space. What’s up dog? ;9
> 
> Seto:….
> 
> And just for future context, Imma just say that Anzu’s a rent-head and has the musical memorized by heart, who did her best impression of Angel in _“Today for You, Tomorrow for Me”_. And Jou and his gang of drag queens did _Soul Cake_ by Sting. And Kyo’s reaction is that of a normal person’s seeing two theater geek diva’s duke it out. He is a sheltered bean.


	12. Twelve Mistletoe Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the party goes on the mistletoe worked its magic on the lovers below, in all their many forms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me on the 4th: This will be easy. I’ll finish this by tomorrow and have this story end before Epiphany.
> 
> *Two days and a riot in the Capitol later*
> 
> … Yeahhhhh, no.

They made it into a game, who can kiss who first at each of the many mistletoes around the room.

It was a silly little game. But they enjoyed it all the same.

They didn’t even know who had decided it, but either way they both enjoyed it immensely.

Short pecks of the lips. Long, languish ones with tongue. An eskimo kiss here and there. even one where she jumped so hard their teeth smacked together as she landed on him, face first.

Their score was even by the final hours of the festivities, both of then eager to win their game.

They moved forward, almost pushing as they ran over… only to see two others underneath, the pastor and Atem, arms around each other as the snow falls outside.

… Maybe they’ll settle this as home.

*****

She was watching them in the distance, Sakura and her lover, giving peck after peck at all the various mistletoe spots placed around the room.

There was a dull ache, the last remains of the longtime crush that she had on the charming woman… a crush she never told her, never allowed herself to express. She couldn’t say why… perhaps she was afraid about losing her friendship, losing that connection to a simpler time?

But that wound is fading, closing slowly… as it should.

And then she felt someone bump into her.

“Ah, I’m so sorry,” a soft voice said, their owner a girl around her own height with warm brown hair with blue and pink tips, her skin an equally warm brown a few shades lighter than her hair, but it was her eyes that drew her in the most.

A shade between emerald green and sky blue, almost but not quite aquamarine, a bright, innocent color that reflects her own face.

“Miss?” she asked, those same enchanting eyes showing her confusion.

“Ah, sorry, I was just taken aback by your…. eyes,” she replied, now noticing the _notable_ chest that her companion had.

“Oh, it’s no problem. Oh, I’m Mana by the way,” she introduced herself, a carefree smile on her face as she offers her hand.

“Madison. Madison Taylor,” she said in turn, taking it and giving her a firm shake, enjoying the warmth that those hands gave her.

“Oh, so you’re Tristan’s cousin? Anzu talks about you quite a bit.”

Ah. That makes sense, considering… everything.

“Look who’s under the mistletoe~” a voice said from the side.

Huh? Who are they-

“OMG, we _are!”_ Mana whispered, looking up.

Ah. Oh well, there’s no time like the present.

She moved forward, just hoping for a peck, a soft touch of the lip.

Mana continued to surprise her, deepening the kiss, bringing in tongue and teeth and so _many_ other things.

When they finally separated, her eyes widen, as if the clock struck midnight and she had to leave before she turned into a pumpkin.

Mana tried to move, to escape, but the crowd worked against her, and she was able to catch her.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, a bit hurt in how quickly she wanted to leave. After all, weren’t they getting along so well?

“I just… got too _into_ it… Not that it’s you or anything. It’s just…,” Mana tries to explain, turning away from her.

“Well,” she started, wringing some of her skirt between her hands, looking off to the side, “I’m not like other girls.”

She stared dumbly.

“… Like, in a nice-girl way or…”

“What?” Mana asked, confused, “NO… no, just-“

She moved her head against her own, whispering the words she needed to say.

Oh. _Oh_.

This… this could work. In more ways than one. Especially with cousin Bradly who wants to push him and his gold-digging girlfriend as her successors.

She gave a soft smile to the miracle in front of her.

“I think things will work quite well between us,” She said as she went off into the night, hand in hand with her new girlfriend.

*****

She was by the wall, sipping her wine, trying to forget the _incident_ from earlier, when she felt a peck on the cheek.

She turned to see a lavender-haired girl giving her the dopiest grin. (And considering she lives with **Serena** , that’s saying something.)

She gave her a look.

The girl giggled.

“It’s mistletoe, cutie.”

Ah.

She went back to her drink.

*****

“Well _that_ was a fucking bust,” he grumbled as he sipped some vodka, pissed at his _lovely_ conversation with Ryou.

“Hey, it could be worse. We could be kicked out,” Malik argued, far too cheery to his tastes.

“Yeah, instead we have the fun police monitoring our every move,” more grumbles as he glares at Ryou, who was looking up and down for some dumb reason, a smug-ass grin on his face.

“What the-“

“Ahhhhhh, you’re under the mistletoe,” a brown-haired woman squealed, a camera in her hand.

He looked up, and indeed there was mistletoe there. Well, there and every five feet it seems like.

He glared, his face hot (from the vodka, **not** his stupid crush) when he felt malik move his face towards him.

“Well, when in Rome,” and then those lips fell upon him own.

He was forced to admit that he melted into the kiss, even with the squees from the woman still filming them.

*****

It was an unexpected meeting, an encounter that she’d never have again.

She was going back to her table, her plate full of sweets from the desert table, glad she brought the plastic wrap in her purse, when she was kissed on the cheek.

Meiling turned to find them, only to see a swaying blond behind her, lost in the crowd as she touched her cheek.

She looked up, to see some mistletoe above her.

 _‘Huh? What do you know,’_ she thought as she sat down, Vivian chatting with another blond, who introduced herself as Mai, as she started wrapping.

Maybe she was right to come here tonight.

*****

He was neck deep into the whiskey bottle, pissed and depress that not only did Atem yell at him like that… but Annellen had broken up with him. Him! Seto fucking Kaiba!

He lifted the bottle, seeing it half-way full and went to finish it off went someone just up and took the bottle.

“Hey, I think you had enough there,” someone said…. The… the fin-haired guy. The one that hangs out with Yugi. That guy.

He tried to struggle against the muscle man, who moved him to a table and got him some food and water.

“Sorry if you don’t like it. Most of it was picked over.”

He pushed it to the side.

He wasn’t some spoiled kid… he was Seto Kaiba, god damn it.

“Hey, do you _want_ to have a killer hangover tomorrow?”

“Sh- shut up, you… you fucking extra. I don’t need your help,” he said as he got up, his head feeling light and swirly, as he started swaying from side to side, trying to get away from the background character behind him. he almost fell, kept steady by the man he’s trying to get away from

“Oh you’re sure proving _me_ wrong, acting like that,” he hissed, his voice harsh but his actions gentle.

“I said shut it! just because you can’t get a date doesn’t mean you can fuck me, bitch,” he yelled, eyes on him as he dressed down this commoner… or so he thought.

Those dark brown eyes hardened; his glare sharp as he met his eyes.

“Listen, just because I don’t go shouting from the rooftops of my latest “conquest”, doesn’t mean that I’m some kind of undatable prune,” Tristan hissed, done with Seto’s attitude, “I’ve had a lot of hook-ups. I’ve had a lot of dates. I’ve had a lot of guys hit on me because, newsflash, not everyone wants a tall-ass twink with a stick up his ass.”

He glared, pissed at everything he said.

“What did you call me?” He hissed back.

“You heard me, you bitch-ass-“

“Aw, more kissies.”

“Ah, so cute.”

They turned to see an audience, one a slim boy with a tail and the other a woman cosplaying as a maid, looking at the both of them eagerly.

They both lifted their heads at the same time, only to find the accursed fruit above them.

They both went back to glaring, yelling at the other to move.

They failed to notice that the tail-boy and maid-girl went both their backs, pushing them together.

Or the fact the both of them were so strong…

They clashed into each other mid-yell, their teeth clattering against each other as they were forced into a lip-lock.

The side-haired dork pushed him off, leaving him a mess on the floor.

Mokuba helped him up and moved him out of the building, using his phone to get someone to pick him up, unaware of the chaos in his head.

‘ _Oh fuck… I actually **liked** that._’

*****

It was a bit of a surprise, her finding herself befriending so many people. It was mostly Serena if she’s to be honest, a friendly woman who seems to have a friendly, comforting air about her, the kind of people that can make friends with everyone. She introduced her to Mina, Rei… and Mako, a beautiful woman who was both strong and soft, easily lifting many different trays of cookies and cakes and warm vegetable dishes, her toned arms visible even under the cheery Christmas sweater she has on.

She… she never really had any experience with this sort of thing… this razor’s edge towards something romantic.

Yes, she had crushes, on both men and women. But she never did anything about them.

But there was something about this place… this…

“Hey look,” Mako said, interrupting her thoughts, her eyes upward.

She brought her head back to see the signature plant for all the shy lovers out there.

She moved her head to see those forest green eyes on her and leaned forward, pushing herself up on her toes while Mako moved down to meet her own.

It was a sweet kiss, a warm kiss, and she wanted to see where things go from there.

And as she left, she knew that even if things don’t work out between her and Mako, she’d at least enjoy the time they had.

*****

He just left the bathroom, his face clean of all makeup, when he met a familiar face.

“Didn’t know you had that kind of side, Kuro-gal,” Fai said, a knowing look in his eyes.

He shrugged.

“I like to keep Ginryu Ginryu and me me,” he said casually.

Not that he was hiding… well, from him in any case. The blond jackass that’s thinks it’s funny to barge into his house when his folks are visiting, on the other hand…

They actual met in quite a few places.

The laundromat near the bus stop on 5th, burger joint a mile from his strip club…

The time Fai’s twin tried to set them up because he wanted his hard-ass colleague to “loosen up a little”.

“Well, it seems we have another ring tying us together,” the blond states, his smile easy-going, almost real except for that look of slow-growing dread that keeps popping up every time they meet, like he’s afraid of getting _too_ close, of having his heart ripped out and used as a coaster.

“Maybe it’s fate,” he suggested

“There is no fate,” he argued back, “Only Hitsuzen.”

He chuckled.

“Didn’t take you as the type to know such things,” he said, trying to lighten the mood.

He didn’t laugh, just stared at him, like a cornered animal, ready to run at the first gap.

“Fai-“

“The heck ya doin’, bro?’ a loud idiot shouted. Not his loud idiot. The one with glasses who somehow went to outer space.

NASA must have loosened their standards.

“Party’s here, dudes,” he shouts again, pushing both him and Fai back into the room.

All eyes were on them, several of them looking up.

He craned his head back.

And lo and behold, the infamous plant is right above them… and every other five feet of the place, from the look of it.

He turned towards Fai, whose head was back as well.

“We don’t have to if you don-“

His arms wrapped around him as he went full lip-lock, shutting him up as something changed in him…. like a realization he didn’t have until this moment.

They parted and it seems, just a little bit, like the blond was opening up to him.

“My place at New Years?”

He chuckled again.

“It’s a date.”

*****

He spent a half-hour in the bathroom, trying to clean off all the spilled food off his cloths, his face still red for some reason. (Was it the alcohol? But he thought he paced himself?)

He managed to get out, only to see Serena with Amy, speaking with her as if they were friends, even though they just met.

It was… admirable. In her own way.

(Why was his face getting _hotter_?)

He looked around, trying to find Ryou, the only other person he knows here, when she bumped into him. Again.

“Watch it,” she hissed, going straight for hostel right out the gate now that she knows that he’s here.

“I’m sorry, _who_ was moving around again?”

“Well, you weren’t exactly being helpful, standing around like a gargoyle,” she hissed, her cheeks puffing out again.

“Shouldn’t that have made me more helpful?” he teased, that giddy feeling rising as her face grew redder.

“Oh, you-”

“Oh? Looks like a kissy time?” a blond (why are there so many blonds here?) exclaimed, his face stretched in a mischievous grin, the silly Italian man joining him in cheering them on.

He looks up, only to see the dreaded fruit that has been featured in every Christmas cliché ever.

He jerks away, ready leave, when she pulls him towards him, their lips melding together in a picture-perfect kiss.

_Oh._

*****

He stumbled through the crowd, trying to find someone. His cousin. His cousin’s insane fiancé. His idiot brother. Anyone but-

“Oh Ludwig, hiiii,” the swaying form of Feli cheered as he stumbled into him, his face red as he held his wine.

He was silence, his head spinning because of what he had learned. I mean, it’s not like _owning_ such a business is bad. And it seems like Feli is a good boss, judging from the easy jokes that came from his employees, both current and former. And he’s _still_ an artist… just one with a day job. A perfectly respectable day job that gives joy to people and gives people who need a lucrative job that doesn’t require a degree and-

“Look Luddy,” Feli says in his ear, pointing up, “Mistletoe.”

He looks up and indeed there’s mistletoe.

His face grows even warmer as Feli gives him a smack on the lips before swaying away, oblivious to how he rocked his world.

*****

Anzu looked away from the dangerous hanging foliage, all too aware of the blue eyes that were zeroing in on her. It was no secret she was into women, having several patches and pins declaring the fact for everyone to see. It was also no secret that she had dates a few troop members in the past; short, simple dates that never went past the third date, with easy, clean break-ups that never really affected either party that much.

Was _is_ a secret is that Miss Aino has been angling her for a while… and she’s terrified to admit that she’s interested right back.

Mina Aino, a mixed Japanese/Korean American girl with somehow naturally blond hair, is a bit of a flirt, perfectly comfortable with both men and women. And it’s not like she’s one of those “gold star lesbians” that gives a fuck about that kind of shit… but she can’t help but feel like Mina’s _too_ lax, too free-spirted, too (ugh) _slutty_ and she doesn’t know if she can trust her heart to someone like that.

And it certainly doesn’t help that she’s found herself under the mistletoe planned in the room with all of her troop members so far. She’s finds herself kissing everyone from Miho (who went off to flirt with the muscle man that came in), to Mai (who went to comfort Syaoran’s cousin after she drunk-flirted with Yugi), Mana (who just giggled and went off with Madison), Riho (who downplayed it), Stille (who was confused until she saw the hanging berries), and even Jou (who was in full drag at that point and gave a over-the-top expression of disgust) … and it seems like Mina wants to catch that luck as well.

She tried moving to the other side of the room, chatting with the muscular brunette that came with Syaoran (and aren’t _those_ muscles something), only to see that Atem didn’t just put up one set of mistletoe. No, he had to put up **twelve** , at least. Stupid Christmas song.

So now she’s constantly moving, trying to keep herself from being under those poisonous berries, trying to keep her heart safe, if only for another day.

“Hi,” she popped in, scaring the bejezzus out of her.

“Gah!”

“Looks like I caught you,” the ribboned maniac said.

“Huh?” she asked before looking up.

She looked up. Yup, there it was. That **stupid** thing that’s been trying to avoid all evening.

She tried to leave. Tried being the optional word.

She turned to glare at the blond.

“Would you let go?” she hissed

“Would you give me a kiss?” she asked as a reply.

She turned her head, not knowing what to say.

There was a piece that wanted to. A small piece. A small, insignificant piece that she would not humor for the life of her. Even if it’s pretty loud, despite its size.

But she can’t… she can’t handle the-

“Do you really hate me that much?” she asked in a delicate voice, like she was scared.

But this was Mina, queen of confidence and awe. She was the one who wore outfits that straddles the line between burlesque and buck-naked, between cheesy and cheesecake, between erotica and porn. Who flirts with any attractive stranger that comes her way. Who puts it all on the line for the performance, even with the worst of roles. She wouldn’t take this seriously… right?

But her silence was more than enough of an answer.

Mina turned to leave, her eyes still so delicate, like she was going to cry but holding it in.

She looks up and sees those white balls, unsure of what to do.

Mina goes to leave, giving her the space she needs…. But she pulls her to her instead, giving an awkward kiss, teeth clashing against each other… and yet somehow it was perfect all the same.

*****

“So… would you say this is a _memorable_ Christmas gift?” he asked as the rest of the guests left for the night, the lights all around twinkling well into the night.

Yugi brought their lips together in a soul-searing kiss, soft and powerful all at the same time.

He pulled away with triumphant smile on his face.

“I believe that _that_ answers the question.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .... If I can get just one person converted to one of my crack-ships I'd be more than happy.
> 
> Hope you all have a Happy New Year and keep safe as this crazy year goes on.


End file.
